A Sophisticated Rogue
by doomweasel
Summary: While on board the Interceptor, William has a chance to learn about his pirate companion. Oneshot. Please R&R.


Amazing how much of an impact on little remark can make, eh? See, we're playing _Hungarian Dance No. 5_ in orchestra, and our conductor Mr. B was all like, "You guys don't have the passion! You know Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean? Know how he's all... (mimics Jack Sparrow's movements) ..._flamboyant_ and energetic and all that? Well, imagine what it would sound like if _he_ played this piece. Give it that fire and enthusiasm that he would."  
So for the rest of the day I had this image of Cap'n Jack playing the violin. I drew a picture of it, which I eventually gave up on because drawing a proper bow grip is one of the most dastardly tasks in the world. Grrr.....  
Oh yeah, and I wrote this little story, too. 

----------------------------------------------------------

Jack Sparrow was feeling pleased with himself. Quite pleased, actually. He'd escaped from prison and almost certain death, garnered valuable information about his long-sought quarry, successfully commandeered the fastest ship that sailed these waters (even with that inept Turner boy tagging along), and there had been no sign of their pursuers for a good hour or two.

As the sun began to sink below the ocean, dying everything a deep red, Jack took a deep breath and savored the salty sting of the ocean spray on his face. This was the life for him - cruising the oceans at the helm of a good, sound ship, nothing in sight but the blue sea, calm as glass. It was enough to make him dance for joy. _Time,_ he thought, _for some well-deserved entertainment._

"Take the wheel, boy," Jack ordered William. As Will quickly grabbed the wheel lest they stray off-course, Jack jumped down to the main deck and sauntered aft to the door of the captain's quarters. "I'm in the mood for a little exploration of our new acquisition at the moment."

"What? You can't just rummage through other people's belongings and take whatever you want!" William protested.

"Why not?"

"That's _stealing!_"

Jack paused, his hand on the doorknob, and shook his head with disbelief. The logic behind that boy's thinking - if there was any at all - was beyond him. He turned to face Will and threw his hands in the air. "We just 'stole' the _whole bloody ship_, savvy? If that's not stealing of the highest degree, then I don't know what is. And trust me, I know all there is to know about stealing. Besides," he added with an impish grin, "if we steal a ship, then by default everything on it is also ours." Jack tapped his temple with one calloused finger. "A little bit of pirates' logic for you," he said, and ducked inside the cabin.

William growled with annoyance as the cabin door slammed shut, leaving him alone on the deck. Partly because he wanted to stop Jack and partly because he didn't want to be all alone, Will grabbed a length of nearby rope and lashed the wheel firmly in place before hurrying down after the pirate. He burst into the captain's quarters just in time to see Jack, his haggard appearance in harsh contrast to the plush interior, try on a huge gold ring pilfered from the captain's desk. "What do you think you're doing?"

Holding his hand outstretched, Jack watched the ring gleam in the light of the oil lamps. Suddenly, he removed the ring and tossed it to Will. "Here, you can have this. I won't be needing it, soon enough."

The boy dropped the ring as though it were red-hot. "You can't do this!" he demanded, following Jack as the pirate made his way to a large chest in the corner.

"I can, and - " Jack opened the lid of the chest with a snap " - I just did. Fancy that." He suddenly stopped, staring at the contents of the chest. Slowly, he reached down and lifted a leather-bound violin case from its pillow of folded clothing and brought it over to the writing desk. Flipping open the latches that held it closed, Jack opened the case and gazed at the instrument resting inside. "Oh my," he murmured. "Oh my, my, my. What's a beauty like you doing all the way out here?"

Will paused, bemused by Jack's reaction. Why would a _pirate_, of all people, care so much about an old violin? _He probably wouldn't know a good instrument if it bit him in the face,_ Will thought - conveniently forgetting his own ignorance when it came to musical devices.

"Tell me, young Turner," Jack said quietly, running his hands gently over the violin, though he did not take it out of the case, "how do you know a good violin when you see it?"

"Uh..." Will had seen a violin - a good violin - only once, when a local creator of instruments who needed his tools repaired had brought his masterpiece to the blacksmith's shop and shown it to Will, beaming with pride the entire time as though it were his child. Will tried to recall it as best he could. "Well, I suppose it would have a deep, rich color... no blemishes... everything about it would seem perfectly balanced."

"That's only a fraction of itof it," Jack replied. Gently, almost lovingly, he picked up the violin, tucked it under his chin, and quickly tightened the horsehairs on the bow. "You describe a very good violin - _cosmetically_ - but there's something about a superior instrument that you can't fully describe with words, savvy?" With that, Jack placed the bow on the strings and played a resounding chord, letting the highest note hang, bright and quivering, in the air for a moment before releasing it with a flourish. He lowered the violin and held it in front of him. "Well that's nice," he remarked. "I didn't even have to tune it first."

"I didn't know you played," Will gaped, surprised.

"There are many things, young Turner, that you do not know about me."

"That's... that's not what I meant."

Jack shot William a particularly shrewd look. "You mean, why would an uncouth _pirate_ like me bother with something as civilized as a violin?" Will didn't answer, but Jack continued anyway. With the violin in one hand and the bow in the other, he somehow managed to gesture as colorfully as usualwhile he spoke. "Why does that come as such a shock? The Gypsies of Europe - fantastic people, the lot of them; they really know how to have a good time - are renowned the world over for their soulful violin playing. What are we pirates but Gypsies of the sea, wandering like the wind over the waves?"

"But Gypsies don't rape, pillage, and murder innocent people."

"Details, details," Jack said, waving his hand dismissively.

"The devil's in the details."

Looking at Will disbelievingly, Jack let his arms fell to his side, though he consciously avoided jostling the instrument in his hand. "You used thatcliche completely incorrectly, but we'll forgive you this time because you're still young and stupid." The pirate spun on one foot, bringing the violin to his chin in the process, and broke into song. His fingers danced over the fingerboard as he played a lively piece that sounded like a song from the Gypsies Jack seemed to admire so much.

William listened, awestruck, as the melody swelled and diminished in the small room, each clear and brilliant note vibrating and resonating as though it were the most important note in the whole piece. And Jack himself - the way he stood there, rocking in time to the melody, his eyes closed - seemed to have lost every fiber of his being in the music. There was something almost... beautiful about him; his tanned skin glowed bronze in the soft lamplight, contrasted by the mane of pitch-black hair that framed his face. And it was positively entrancing how his thin lips curved up, ever so slightly, in a contented smile...

The song ended. Jack slowly lifted the bow from the strings and lowered the violin; the spell was abruptly broken. William mentally slapped some sense into himself. What had he been thinking? Jack was, after all, a pirate. There's nothing at all beautiful about that.

"I think..." Jack said softly as he stroked his beard, as if to only himself. "I think I will go out and serenade the stars." He strode noiselessly across the carpet to the door, pausing as he opened it. "Will you join me, young William? You can watch the heavens dance. I assure you, it will be..." He flashed a playful grin. "..._most_ spectacular."

Will followed the older man out to the main deck. By now the sun had entirely set, and the stars had come out in full force. The sight of so many stars took Will's breath away; without any trees or buildings to block his view and not a scrap of land in sight, he had a clear view of the night sky in all its luminescent glory.

Jack spread his arms, turned in a small circle, and bowed majestically as the stars winked and twinkled in silent applause. "Esteemed ladies and gentlemen," Jack announced to his celestial audience, "I thank you for allowing to play for you on this wonderful evening. If I may, I will start with a piece by a certain Antonio Vivaldi. Ladies and gentlemen - young Turner - I give you Vivaldi's 'Concerto number six in C-major.'"

Once again, the violin was brought to Jack's chin; once again, a stream of luscious music poured fourth and spilled over the deck. From his perch on a box of munitions, Will watched, entranced, as the lone figure swayed and danced across the deck. When one song ended another began, blending together until a single, unending melody floated and twisted in the salty air.

Finally tearing his gaze away from Jack, William looked up at the vast canopy of stars above him. How far did the notes carry on the wind? Who else could hear this one-man symphony besides himself and the stars? Will imagined that the melody could drift all the way back to the soldiers on the warship that was no doubt still pursuing them. What would they think of such music? Would they realize that such a beautiful sound was produced by their quarry?

Will stared at Jack once again as the pirate cavorted merrily around the main mast, the beads in his hair clacking in time to the melody. It seemed impossible that the soul responsible for this wonderful music was evil. Never was evil this merry and... _pure_...

Jack paused briefly in front of Will, though the music never stopped issuing forth from his fingertips. "Remember this, William Turner, the next time someone tells you that music and merrymaking are sinful: the only things Adam and Eve did in the blessed Garden of Eden were dance, eat, and screw. Savvy?" He laughed at his own wit, a full-throated laugh without any inhibitions or doubts. A final chord rang out, and the music stopped except for the echoes that still danced lightly over the seas.

The pirate spun on his heel, stomped his foot, and bowed deeply to Will. "What do you say, Turner?" he asked upon rising. "Have I improved my standing in your eyes - for whatever that's worth?"

Will shook his head - with disbelief more than anything. He had to try hard to keep from laughing. "You're still nothing more than a rogue."

Jack tossed his head back and howled with delight, and the stars laughed back in their own peculiar, silent way. "That may very well be true, young Turner," he admitted, still chuckling good-naturedly. "But," he continued, holding up a finger knowingly, "at least I am a _sophisticated_ rogue."

------------------------------------------

Thank you for reading my story, and please don't forget to review!!


End file.
